Schools find savings while updating technology

By eSchool News

July 15th, 2008

School districts’ technology budgets vary, but one thing remains a constant–there’s more technology out there than money to pay for it. To deal with that reality, many districts cut where they can, do work in-house, use refurbished computers, seek out grants, and try to make the best of what they’ve got, reports the Alton Telegraph of Illinois. For example, Jersey Community School District has made strides in technology despite its lack of funding, said Technology Director Keith Norman, although he soon will be asking the school board to make a financial commitment to begin replacing outdated systems by 2010. "We’ve been buying refurbished and used computers," he said. "We’re just about at the point that we can’t continue down this path." The Carlinville School District saves some money by doing most of its work in-house. The district’s computers are five years or newer, thanks to the two-member technology staff that builds its own systems and does repairs, said the district’s network administrator, Gary Tipps. The Edwardsville School District saves money by purchasing refurbished computers and doing a lot of in-house technology maintenance as well.?The district maintains its own telephone and security technology and has even purchased servers off eBay to save money. "We look for a lot of ways that might be unorthodox to other districts," said the district’s director of technology, Bill Miener. It also seeks out grants from a local Citizens Advisory Committee, which encourages the use of innovative technology in schools…